Sandra Shade - Avoiding Boys
by ThaliaofAvalon
Summary: Book 2 in the Sandra Shade series - Sandra's friends and family tell of her adventures with the various guys in her life. We learn the truth behind Roland and Sandra's past from Matthias' point of view. Be warned though - not everything goes as expected when you're a demigod.
1. Matty: Meeting Sandy

**Hi everyone! I'm back with book two of the Sandra Shade series! I'm sorry for not updating in** ** _forever_** **. I was at Camp Half-Blood. Not really, but I was at a summer camp with a couple of kids with ADHD and Dyslexia. Also, we had to sit at tables with our cabins, we made up our own myths, and we played capture the flag. Oh, and there were some kids who were just like demigods. There was one girl with blonde hair who was spreading untrue rumors that another camper and I were dating, who growled and made hand gestures instead of talking, although she was able to talk. She could find anyone in camp at any time. She was about eight, and a foot shorter than me, but I have to tell you, she is one person I do** ** _not_** **want to meet in a dark alley. I'm pretty sure she would be an Athena kid. Then there were a couple of kids with singing talent, one of whom was my supposed boyfriend's sister. We're still not positive why the rumor got spread, but it started with his cousin. Apparently some people don't think guys and girls can be just friends… Anyway, just to annoy you guys (not really), I added some more characters to the story. I hope you like them! I was actually inspired by some kids I met at camp, but the characters aren't based off real people. They are fictional. I may ask those campers for advice on the particular characters they inspired, such as asking the guy who inspired Sandy Greene who he'd like his godly parent to be, but the characters are just pieces of my imagination. I missed you guys! And my laptop. And Fanfiction. I hope you like it! Also – Matty! Give my laptop back!**

Hey guys. I'm Matthias. My sister is crazy. Somehow she thought it'd be a good idea to tell you all about our lives. Now that she's started, of course, I really have to have some input. Even if she's my twin, she probably has no idea what I'm thinking half the time. You really have to get my point of view to see the whole picture. I wonder if we should get the other guys in on this too…

I for one am _really_ curious what in the world Roland was thinking when he kissed Sandra – well, let's save that for later. Ow! Well, I guess Roland will be joining us in chapter 2. He just elbowed me and grabbed my sister's laptop. It gets kind of annoying when he reads over my shoulder ( _hint, hint, Roland_ )… Anyway, here goes.

We got to Camp Half-Blood just fine. It turns out we weren't the only campers who arrived that day though. I guess I should probably mention Sandy Greene.

We'd just sat down at various tables for dinner with our cabin mates, when I heard a scream. I whirled around, only to see some Aphrodite girl pointing at a red blob. No – that wasn't right. It wasn't a blob. Sorry – I have bad eyesight and I wasn't wearing my glasses. It was a boy, covered in blood.

I leapt to my feet, along with Sandra, followed by the entire Apollo cabin. We rushed over as the kid collapsed. Somehow we carried him through the mess of demigods to the Big House. Sandra and I searched for a wound as our siblings grabbed gauze and other medical supplies. The kid had a stab wound directly above his belly button and one to the right of his heart. If the second wound had been just a centimeter to the left, the kid would probably have died before we got to him. I thanked all the gods for that as I checked for poison.

I wondered what stabbed him as I colored in the box next to 'NO POISON' on the Demigod Wound Checklist. What? You think it's funny that we have a DWC? Well, how about you try healing stab wounds without having any official medical training? Also, did I mention, I'm still just a _teenager_? Anyhow, a bunch of my siblings rushed over and Will (my favorite brother) said the names of a bunch of medical tools.

"Sandra," he ordered, "pass the gauze." And she did. By the way, I sort of only know the medical terms 'gauze' and 'scalpel'. Most of the time I just say pointy thingy, really pointy thingy, or other thingy. So… Now you know how we met Sandy. Oh, right. I should probably mention that the kid's name is Sandy. We do have ADHD, you know, so sometimes (actually, most of the time) Sandra and I go on tangents like that. Anyhow, Sandy woke up three days later.

Sandra and I were on Naptime – er… Guard Duty over Sandy – when he woke up. Sandy has this bright green hair that goes down to his chin, and it was plastered to his face right then, dark with sweat. His eyes were closed one moment, and the next he cried out and sat up in bed. Sandra and I jolted awake. She was at his side in an instant while I was still trying to remember how to move. Honestly, how does she do that? She can go straight from fast asleep to leaping to her feet. I kind of envy her. So she was standing beside him repeating,

"It's okay, you're safe," over and over again. Finally he calmed down enough to say

"Ow." He winced as he pressed his hand to the bandage on his chest. By this time I was standing next to him, smiling apologetically.

"What did that?" I asked, gesturing at his wound. Sandy frowned, trying to remember.

"It had teeth. And claws. And fur, I think." Oh. Well, then. That really narrows it down.

"Do you remember any _other_ details? That pretty much describes half the monsters that ever lived." Sandy shrugged.

"Sorry." he mumbled. I shrugged back.

"Nah. It's fine. What's your name?" The tag inside his jacket had said Sienna, but it was probably stolen.

"Sandy Greene." Sandra smirked. She asked,

"Did the hair or the name come first?" For the first time, Sandy realized he wasn't anywhere he recognized. His eyes widened.

"Wait… Where am I? Where's my sister?" Sandra and I exchanged a nervous glance.

"Uh…" was our shared clever response. A black-haired boy I recognized from my rescue party suddenly was standing in the doorway, memories flashing before his dark eyes. Nico, wasn't it? He came out of his memory induced daze.

"I was looking for Will…" he mumbled. "But then I heard some familiar words."

"Where's my sister?" asked Sandy again. "And who are you?" Nico winced at the first question. I didn't want to ask. Nico sat down at the foot of Sandy's bed.

"This is going to be a bit confusing." We proceeded to explain about demigods. Apparently Sandy had _not_ read the Percy Jackson books, so the explanation was a little difficult, although Nico didn't mind. It involved a zombie or two and karaoke. Don't ask. When he finally got the idea, he asked his question again.

"Where's my sister?" I sighed, afraid to be the bearer of bad news, but having no choice.

"Sandy, you came here by yourself. You showed up at dinner, covered in blood, _by yourself_. We didn't even know you had a sister until you woke up. I'm sorry, but we have no idea what happened to your sister." Sandy was brave, unlike most 11-year-olds. He didn't cry. He just stared straight ahead, expression and voice distant.

"Oh." He whispered.

 **Hello! Cliffhanger as I drive next to a cliff! It's very funny, if only for me. I hoped you liked that. By the way, if I leave author's notes for the people who inspired my stories, I'll probably just refer to them as the character they inspired. So, Sandy Greene, thank you for inspiring me, being my friend, and for reading this. Also, I'm sure my readers who now get a new chapter thank you too, because without you, I'd have a bad case of writer's block. If you want me to change your name, I will. Bye everyone! I'll update when I can! Love, ThaliaofAvalon.**


	2. Roland: Demigod Days

**Disclaimer: Do you honestly expect Rick Riordan to be writing a story about Sandra Shade? I'm back from vacation. Sorry I haven't updated in forever. I was working on** ** _HEI: Happy Endings Inc._** **and** ** _Forgotten Mages_** **. My kitten keeps attacking my toes and rubbing up against my computer. I'm trying to learn cat language from her, but it's rather inconsistent. Anyway, onto the story… Note: Vaseline [otherwise known as petroleum jelly], for those of you who don't know, is like a super slimy version of chapstick that comes in a jar. Google it if you want to know what it looks like. It has a very distinct smell, and is perfect for pranks such as the Stolls'.**

Hey. It's Roland. Ignore what everybody else says about me – the story will be far more exciting that way. My friends certainly know how to spoil an ending… Well, middle of a story, anyway.

While Sandra, Will, and Matty were busy saving lives, I was busy avoiding creepy Aphrodite girls and building a pillow fort. The stalker girls, I'm told, are normal for almost any new male camper. As for the pillow fort… Let's just say I was put on babysitting duty for all the Hermes campers (regular and undetermined) under the age of ten. Do you have any idea how many pranks I triggered trying to get those pillows? Anyhow, I've got to admit, it _was_ an epic fort.

Not that I… You know… _build_ lots of forts nowadays. By the time I got those pranksters in bed, I was exhausted. Of course, that meant that it was the perfect time for Travis and Connor Stoll, of whom I'd heard so much, to decide they were sneaking out to prank the rest of camp. I heard something like

"Vaseline… Doorknobs… Slimy… Sick, dude…" and I didn't think it boded well, so I decided to follow them. However, by the time I got to the door, they were nowhere to be seen. As I pulled my hand away from the doorknob, it felt slippery, so I glanced at it in the moonlight. It was shiny. I was pretty sure I knew, but I smelled my hand anyway. Vaseline. _Stolls._ I frowned, did my best to wipe the slime off onto my pajama pants, and went back to bed. There was nothing I could do – the Stolls were already loose on the camp.

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of someone screaming. At first, I thought someone was in trouble, but then I realized it was a scream of anger coming from an Aphrodite girl. I glanced out the nearest window, not really very surprised to see Dru chasing Travis with a knife. I sighed. Was this how every day would start, or would I be claimed soon?

I threw on my camp T-shirt. Then I realized I hadn't brought pants, which bothered me until I remembered that this was the Hermes cabin, and everyone was outside watching and betting on Dru and Travis. I rummaged through some people's stuff until I found a pair of jeans that fit. I figured nobody would suspect the new, clearly not son-of-Hermes, guy of stealing their clothes. I was right, of course. To this day, nobody has even noticed the missing pants. If they did, I'm pretty sure I could find some way to accuse the Stolls… Yikes, I'm starting to think like a Hermes kid!

Anyway, I headed down to breakfast, careful to use the bottom of my shirt to open the door. The rest of the day was pretty much exactly what you'd expect, having read the Percy Jackson books. I can't say I was really much good at anything, but I joined in when some kids played soccer in the afternoon, and that I was okay at. I'm pretty sure there's no god of soccer, though, so I think that was just my human side.

Archery, I was terrible at, because while I can shoot a gun just fine, the old fashioned edition was too challenging for me. As for sword-fighting… I was decent at it, but it's not like I had any particular talent. I beat an eight-year-old, but I'm not sure that counts. Canoeing was something I'd done before, so that wasn't a problem, but once again, no particular talent there. The climbing wall gave me a mild burn or two, from some close encounters, but I made it to the top. In all, I had no idea who my godly parent was. If I was lucky, I'll be claimed soon. Considering I'm not generally lucky, I probably wouldn't be.

Dinner was just like breakfast, but afterwards I met up with my friends. Sandra was typing on her laptop as usual, but at the time, I had no idea she was writing book 1 of this series. Matty and I talked about our respective days, while Nico and Thanador fought with swords. His little sister Bethany was chatting amiably with Will. I'm pretty sure the guy who walked past and said

"Hey, what's up Nico?" was Percy. Nico almost dropped his weapon.

"You're back?! I thought you and Annabeth move –" Thanador took advantage of his distraction, knocking Nico to the ground and holding his sword to Nico's throat. Percy chuckled and walked away.

"I win." Nico grimaced.

"First of all, _ow_. Second of all, _so_ not fair. Third of all… Rematch?" Thanador grinned and helped Nico to his feet.

"Deal."


	3. Cyan: A Romantic Moment

**Disclaimer: I am Rick Riordan and I secretly love to pretend to be a fanfiction-writing teenage girl! No, not really. That would be weird. And possibly creepy.**

 **I'm back, beloved readers! I can't believe I almost forgot about this story. My original idea for it was actually based on Apollo and Cassandra. Now I'm thinking of writing a book on my** ** _original_** **idea. Even so, I'll do my best not to leave you hanging. Enjoy the story!**

 **Now, it's finally my turn to write a**

Hi! This is Cyan! I kind of stole this from Sandra. She's real easy to distract, you know. Seriously. If you give her a good book (NOT _Old Man and the Sea_ or _Billy Budd_ ) or a paperclip, you won't hear from her for a good three hours. I gave her both, so that probably gives me four hours (she'll play with the paperclip while reading).

So… I'm sure you guys have heard all about me. Or not. Does she talk - write about me often? Not that it matters. I'm just curious. Okay, fine. I guess you guys know better.

Anyway… Can I tell you a secret? Who am I kidding? Of course I can! You're complete strangers! Okay. Here goes: I can read Matthias' mind too. He doesn't know yet, though. Should I tell him? I don't think I should, because I kind of over-thought (like overhearing, but in mind reading) a few… personal thoughts. Do I tell him, and embarrass him? I mean, he is Sandra's brother. I don't want to embarrass him… Oh. Right. This isn't an advice column. What was I thinking?

So Sandra is back now. I'm so glad; I missed her a lot while she was out saving people. It does bother me, however, that she brought _Roland_ back with her.

Don't get me wrong – he's the nicest guy I've ever met. Almost too nice… But from Matthias' memories of the McDonalds' restaurant, I think he has it out for her. And for some reason, I just don't like him. He practically ignored Sandra back in eighth grade. How is that even _possible_? I mean, Sandra's… Sandra. She's not ignorable – more like adorable

Moving on… Yesterday, Sandra and I went out to the beach and swam in the water until it got dark. Then, we snuck into the woods and climbed trees, being super quiet to avoid harpies. It was so much fun! We stayed in that tree the whole night, and she told me about her quest.

I was so proud of her for trying to prevent violence and murder. Oh yeah. I have the best best friend in the whole world. Then I told her what happened while she was gone.

"There was this Aphrodite girl – her name was May-June Aprils (Seriously? Who the in the would even _consider_ naming their kid after three months?). She confronted me on my way to the Hephaestus cabin, and tried to _kiss_ me!" Sandra snorted.

"I bet that went over well." I grinned.

"Swimmingly. I told her I was gay." It was definitely a lie, but it _had_ been an effective move against May-June.

"And she believed you?"

"Probably not, but she never bothered me again."

"I wouldn't have believed you."

"You know better. For all she knew, I could've been."

"You know she's going to tell people, right."

"I don't care. The only opinion I care about is yours."

"What're you gonna do when some guy asks you out?" I thought about that for a moment.

"Say I'm taken?"

"Maybe you could just tell him the truth."

"Oh, Sandra. That's what I love about you. You're just too honest."

"How can someone be too _honest_?"

"Has someone ever asked you if a dress made them look fat?"

"No."

"If they did, would you answer them truthfully?"

"That depends. Who's asking?" I thought about who Sandra might dislike…

"Sara Jane from eighth grade."

"Definitely. I might even lie if it didn't."

" _There's_ the secret rebel in you. I knew I would find it somewhere." I grinned. I started telling her about the time I set fire to the school bully's house. Before long, she'd fallen asleep on my shoulder. I wrapped my arm around her, and leaned back against a thick tree branch. I was about to fall asleep when I heard a voice in my head.

 _Keep her safe,_ it said, softly. I didn't recognize the voice, so I drifted off. It was so romantic… Well, it would have been – if, you know, she actually liked me that way.

 **If you want to leave answers to Cyan's questions in the reviews, feel free. Reminder: OC suggestions are still open. Bye!**


	4. Matty: Building a Shack

**Disclaimer: I don't own anybody. Nobody should own anybody. Anybody who owns somebody is nobody to me.**

 **Hello! It's me, Sandra again. I'm not even going to bother this time. Someone's just going to take my laptop any**

Hello! Matthias here!

I don't think Cyan's very technology savvy, because he seems to be under the mistaken impression that I couldn't read the chapter he posted. So… He can read my mind. _Awkward._

But honestly, it's not much of a shock. Sandra and I have a telepathic link, and she has a telepathic link to Cyan, so maybe Sandra's just a cellphone tower that broadcasts to both of us, and between the two of us. Either that, or he just has a telepathic connection to our collective soul – if there is such a thing.

It doesn't really matter, though. I learned to block Sandra out pretty easily (mostly because she asked me to do so), so blocking out Cyan shouldn't be too difficult. I am here going to assume that he _really_ does not want to know what's going on in my head. Although I did kind of get involved last night unintentionally. I sort of just projected the thought: _keep her safe._ That reminds me. This isn't about my relationships, siblings, or my telepathic-future-brother-in-law. This is about Sandra.

Yesterday, she, Roland, and Cyan got enlisted to help build a house for a satyr. I got to listen in to the hilarious conversation they had, so I'll detail it here:

Cyan: "… And that's how you build a shack. Huh. These instructions are relatively easy, considering the word 'air conditioner' didn't exist in Ancient Greece…" He gestured casually with a five page booklet in Greek. Sandra rolled her eyes at him.

Some Demeter kid asked Sandra if he could help build it too. Sandra smiled kindly, saying to ask the Cyan of Building Shacks. Then she burst out laughing hysterically as the kid walked away. He glanced back at her confused, and opted to run away instead of help with the construction work.

She didn't even notice, she was laughing so hard. Roland looked at her skeptically.

"What's so funny?" he asked. Sandra finally calmed down enough for breathing.

"Remember in eighth grade," she began "when we read Cyrano de Bergerac?" he shrugged.

"I never actually read it." Sandra glared at him.

"Why would you miss an opportunity to read an amazing play?"

"So that's what it is… Anyway, carry on."

"Doesn't the title sound a lot like 'Cyan of Building Shacks'?"

"No."

"Yes;" Cyan responded with a grin; "everything is about me!" Sandra rolled her eyes

 _Just keep on thinking that, Cyan. The world definitely revolves around you._

"I know, right!" Cyan glanced at Roland. "Did I say that aloud?"


	5. Cyan: Everything's Awkward

**Disclaimer: Sorry it's been a while. Too many excuses... Met my BFF, held hands with a boy, wrote a sarcastic essay... &cetera. Also, I got a Shinedown album for Easter. I don't own anything, but friendship is a Virtue according to Aristotle, so at least I have that. Anyway, at last I**

Hey. It's Cyan. I spent most of today with Sandra. We held hands! It was really sweet. She was exhausted after spending the afternoon building a shack.

We were going to sit down in front of my cabin until one of her brothers showed up to pick her up. Sadly, those chairs were in terrible shape. One broke right under Sandra! The other one was sturdy enough for the both of us, though - luckily for me.

I say luckily, because she squeezed in next to me. We sat there peacefully for a few moments, until, being the idiot I am, I asked her if she'd ever been kissed.

She immediately stiffened, and mumbled

"N-n-no."

"Do you want me to change that?" I really am an idiot...

"N-n-not really." Hold on... Sandra only stutters when she's lying or nervous... and this was making her uncomfortable.

"Are you absolutely certain?"

Just my luck - Matty showed up. She leapt to her feet and headed right for Matty, forgetting our customary farewell. She shouted hysterically after her "That depends on your definition of absolutely certain!" She rushed to her cabin faster than necessary, and slammed the door after her, leaving her brother stranded outside. He looked at me and shrugged confusedly. _Girls. Who needs 'em, right?_ he thought at me. I gave him an awkward smile and waved. He waved back and headed inside.

I know Sandra was collapsed against the door because he almost tripped over her going in, and he was talking to someone behind the door.

I could have tried to read her thoughts, but I figured she'd probably blocked me, and if she hadn't, it would be rude.

So I read Matty's... and immediately regretted it. I am never doing that again.

Anyway, I spent the rest of the day thinking about her. Would she speak to me again? Had I scared her away?

Sandra is one of those people who tends to pull away from the people who care about her. She's afraid of getting hurt or abandoned. With people like that, if you want to keep them, you have to keep pulling them back.

Every time people like Sandra pull away, you have to make them believe you when you say you're not going anywhere. You have to always say what you mean, and tell the truth, even when it seems like it'll hurt them. You have to always be waiting with open arms, for when they come back. If it looks like you don't want them back, you won't get them back.

And I will always be here for her. After all, I promised.


	6. Insertnamehere

**Disclaimer: I don't own this universe. Happy Zombie Jesus Day. Also, Happy Green Day. I will just leave my laptop here. I wonder who will write the next chapter…**

It's been a while since I thought about this. I just can't let it go, though. I can't let _her_ go.

Some people are nice, smart, or pretty. Some people spread out, and drag everyone else into their own lives. Some people close up, and hide themselves away. Some people are dull, and you'll forget about them a few years from now. A few people, though, they're special.

They have The Spark. I'm not quite sure how to describe it. If you've never met someone who has it, you probably won't understand. You can't forget them. They leave this imprint on you that lasts forever. They can make something out of nothing; they put their heart and soul into everything. They can bring light and beauty out of everything, but they can also make you see all the ugly darkness in the world. They send you up and they send you down, but you can't help but love them. I think it's something about The Spark.

I once knew a girl who had it. This is her story. Maybe it'll help you understand The Spark. Maybe it'll help you see her for who she really was. Maybe she can change your life forever, the way she changed mine.

Her name was Sandra.

When I first met her, I was thirteen, playing Frisbee with my half-brother, Cyan. The Frisbee flew over his head, and landed at her feet, like in a perfect movie scene. Man, you should have seen the way her face lit up. I didn't understand; it was just a Frisbee. Her eyes got really wide – honestly, I didn't know human eyes could open that wide! She broke into a braces-filled smile. She practically lifted off the ground in excitement. Somehow, she managed to bounce to her knees. She bounced back to her feet with the Frisbee in her hand. She threw it with such energy, it flew right past my brother, and then it went past me too. As I chased it down, I wondered, _who's that girl?_

When I turned around, she was gone.

"Dibs," Cyan said.

…

A week later, my brother and I were outside, playing with our cabin mates.

I can't even remember what I was doing, because all I can remember is that at that moment, she walked up to Cyan. They started talking about something, and my heart sank. They sat down next to one another on the cold pavement, and she directed that incredible smile at him. She chose _him_ over me.

They say first impressions are everything. It felt like I'd known her forever, since the first time I saw her. She chose my brother. I saw him briefly point my way, and she nodded politely in my direction. She turned back to him, that smile returning. I turned around, and angrily threw the Frisbee onto somebody's roof.

"Hey!" Someone yelled. I didn't care. I went back to my cabin.

…

It was maybe a month before I saw her again. The next time, she and my brother were inseparable. They just sat there talking excitedly about something – werewolves, I think. I watched the way she smiled like it was the most amazing thing she'd ever heard. She tucked her messy, long, blond hair behind her ear.

I knew what that meant. That was basically as effective as my brother calling dibs. I wouldn't bother trying anything, because who would ever choose me over him?

…

It was December when she finally knocked on our door at four in the morning. She was standing outside in the snow, a bright grin on her face, and she wasn't wearing a coat, as if the cold didn't bother her at all. I wanted to invite her in, give her a cup of hot cocoa, and watch a cheesy movie, but instead, I said,

"I'll go get Cyan."

"Okay. I'm Sandra, by the way." My face fell. She didn't remember me. Then again, who would, after meeting my brother?

"I know." I stated blankly, "We've met before." Suddenly she looked horrified. I was so startled, I didn't know what to do.

"Oh, my god. I'm so, so, so, so sorry! I'm terrible with names – sometimes I even forget my own – and I didn't mean to forget. I can't help it. I remember a bunch of useless trivia, but I forget the important stuff, like people's names. I don't know why; please don't hate me!" My heart melted at that. Whose wouldn't?

"It's fine." I assured her. "My name is insertnamehere."

…

The next day, she was outside early in the morning in the freezing weather. She'd cleared away the snow from part of the marble at some point, and she was drawing on it with blue chalk. I watched her from my window. She was so focused, I didn't want to interrupt. I watched as her cracked hands smeared the chalk into the shape of a wolf howling at the moon. She may not have been Van Goh, but to me, it was amazing. I'd watched her put everything into that simple little wolf drawing, and somehow, that made it even more beautiful.

I saw her take a deep breath, and step back. When I saw her face, I was surprised. She had chalk dust on her cheeks, and little tear lines trickled through the chalk. She looked exhausted, but somehow satisfied, as though the act of creating that wolf had fulfilled a desperate need.

I saw a red-haired girl come out of the Aphrodite cabin and yell at Sandra. She pointed to Sandra's blue, bleeding hands, and Sandra winced, as if she had only just realized the pain. Sandra took one last look at the wolf, wiped futilely at her cheek, and ran inside.

It snowed later that day, and in the morning the wolf was long gone. My memories weren't, though. Something about the way she'd put everything she had into it, scraping her hands on the pavement, even though it would be destroyed in only a few hours, made me realize that there was something different about this girl. Something special. That's when I decided dibs could go to Hades. I was going to put everything I had into making sure she was my girlfriend.

 **Oh. Wow. I have no idea who wrote this. He seems sweet though...**


	7. Brianna: Keeping Secrets

**Disclaimer: I did not write the PJO books or the HoO books, but I did write seven songs this month. Also, I did Calculus homework and held hands with a boy.**

 **I'm not even going to bother trying this time.**

Hey, so I know this is supposed to be by boys, but I think it should be people who care about her instead.

I won't tell you my name, because she can't know.

Let's call me... Brianna. I've known her almost as long as Roland, but unlike that idiot, I actually like her. Well, I guess he has his reasons - and I have mine.

Not a lot of people pay attention to me, but she does. She always acts like she cares about my life (maybe she really does, I don't know). She also has this habit I should probably mention. She flirts with everyone.

I don't think she does it intentionally, but especially at parties, she is extremely flirtatious. She asks half a dozen people - girls and boys - to dance at every party. She may not be the best dancer, but she's better than me. And I think she always knows when someone likes her. Normally she doesn't mention it, but at parties, she seeks out the people who like her.

One time, I dared her to ask a girl to dance, and she shrugged calmly.

"Easy. I was going to anyway." Later, she danced with three girls - including me. I told her I figured she'd ask me. She raised one eyebrow and smirked as I spun her around.

"Wasn't that the idea all along?"

So yeah, she probably knows. But she seems to have this fear of being liked.

I've noticed that if someone tells her about their feelings, she generally avoids them, especially if those feelings are returned.

Maybe she's afraid of hurting others or commitment or something.

I don't know.

Anyway, today I saw her dancing in the forest. You can always tell when she's feeling strong emotions, because she dances in the forest. She sings quietly to herself while she dances. She spins, twirls, and collapses to the beat of the tune inside her head. She is a much better dancer when she thinks she's alone.

I'm not a stalker. I'm just... appreciating her Child-of-Apollo talents.

I never step out from behind the brush, but today I was really tempted.

Her words made me worry about her.

"What have I got to lose

If all I lose is my mind?

When do I get to choose

To let my thoughts wander?

My dreams are fading into day

And I'm losing hold of yesterday

Oh, what is real? I cannot say.

I'm awake or I'm asleep,

Nothing's ever as it seems,

And I don't understand

What's going on with me.

What is Real?

I can feel in my dreams.

Nothing's ever as it seems.

Am I losing my touch with reality?

And I can't tell sometimes

If the people in my dreams are real.

It's like a drug -

And it's only in my dreams I can feel.

And I keep going back,

Though I know that I shouldn't.

I tried to let go but I couldn't.

The only place I feel safe is the one inside my head...

I'm awake or I'm asleep,

Nothing's ever as it seems,

And I don't understand

What's going on with me.

What is Real?

I can feel in my dreams.

Nothing's ever as it seems.

Am I losing my touch with reality?

And my thoughts are never clear;

You speak but I don't hear.

I'm becoming my own worst nightmare.

I tried, but not enough,

To escape my destiny,

I guess this is

How I was meant to be.

I'm awake or I'm asleep,

Nothing's ever as it seems,

And I don't understand

What's going on with me.

What is Real?

I can feel in my dreams.

Nothing's ever as it seems.

Am I losing my touch with reality?

And my heart is going numb;

I closed off all my heartbreak.

Now I'm feeling dumb,

When I see all the hearts I break.

Can't speak another word,

Unless I fall into my world.

I'm lost here -

Just a lonely little girl.

Someone take my hand,

And pull me out of

My own cage-like mind!"

I would have, right then, if I didn't realize how terrifying it would be. I mean, imagine what would happen if you thought you were alone in an empty forest and someone reached out of the bushes and grabbed your hand.

Instead I slipped away back to my cabin. She probably stayed out there, singing with tears in her eyes, until after dark.

I ran into Cyan on my way back.

"Hey, have you seen Sandra?" He asked me distractedly.

I shrugged, and gestured in the opposite direction.

"Maybe over there... I dunno. I don't pay much attention to her." The lie slipped off my tongue easily. I figured if she wanted him around, they'd be together right now. Also, I don't think he knows about her pacing spot in the forest. I wouldn't want him to spy on her.

It's always pretty easy to pretend you know less than you do. People will generally believe you. He did.

 **I wrote that song! She's spying on me? Oh dear... that's awkward...**


	8. Cyan: Mind Reading

**Disclaimer: I do not own PJO etc. However, I wrote this** ** _lovely_** **poem in iambic tetrameter, and it does belong to me.**

 **My brain is full of aching gears,  
Too soon awake by midnight fears:  
I dreamt a shade of cyan blue  
Had turned my hair a stranger hue.**

 **I figured it was vaguely related to this story, so I put it on here. Also, Solangelo is now officially CANON. And the OTHER THING! I won't spoil** ** _The Trials of Apollo_** **for you, BUT IT'S IN CHAPTER 4!**

 **Now, back to**

Hey, it's Cyan. The person, not the color. I'm well aware I'm named after a color, but many people are: Rosy, Violet, Blue, Pink, Aquamarine. It has never bothered me and I don't really care… Who am I kidding? It drives me crazy. Do you have those things that drive you crazy? Am I rambling? Sorry. Sandra's cute.

I mean… Wha? Nope. I totally did not say that. She's curled up on the picnic blanket with her arms wrapped around the alternative-rock CD I got her for her birthday, sleeping. Will and Nico think it's funny she can fall asleep anywhere. I think it's awesome. Where did Matty and Roland disappear to? Oh, wait… I was going to try and avoid reading Matty's mind…Too late.

He and Roland were walking somewhere nearby.

"So what's the deal with you and my sister?"

"It's none of your business." Ugh. Roland… He doesn't even know the whole story.

"That may be, but would you please work out your differences?" Please don't, actually…

"Why? It's her fault." HER FAULT? _HER FAULT!_ Matty winced. Roland glanced at him, concerned. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

"No, it's not you. It's the voice in my head." Oops. He was doing the mental equivalent of glaring at me. I decided to stick around to set things straight. _I know what happened._

"You have a voice in your head? Should we have someone check that out?"

"No. I know exactly where it's coming from."

"That doesn't quite reassure me."

"You know how Cyan and Sandra have that thing?"

"What thing? The crazy, it's-fun-to-glare-at-Roland thing?"

"The thing where they know what the other one is thinking."

"Yeah, but that's normal for couples." I felt tired. _We're not a couple._

"They're not a couple, but they can actually read each other's minds."

"So somebody else can read your mind?"

"Both Cyan and my sister, actually."

"Who's eavesdropping on us right now?" He was mad.

"My sister's asleep, and plus, she doesn't really read my mind all that often ever since… Well, that's not important."

"So it's Cyan? Get out of Matty's head. Or I will find you." That must have been weird for Matty. Roland glared straight at me right through him. I smirked. _Sure._


End file.
